248 GLYCOCYAMINE, ETC. 



White, amorphous powder, insoluble in water ; com- 

 bines with acids, with bases, and also with salts, form- 

 ing compounds, that crystallize well. 



Nitrous acid decomposes guanine, with an evolution 

 of nitrogen, forming xanthine and a nitro-compound, 

 as yet but little known, which, when treated with 

 reducing substances, yields xanthine. "When moder- 

 ately concentrated hydrochloric acid is poured on 

 guanine, and potassium chlorate then added gradually, 

 until all is dissolved, water and oxygen are assimilated, 

 and the guanine is resolved into guanidine (p. 219), 

 parabanic acid, and carbonic anhydride ; at the same 

 time, however, xanthine, oxaluric acid, urea, and oxalic 

 acid are formed as secondary products. 



Gly CO examine, C 3 H 7 ]^ 3 2 , is formed by direct com- 

 bination of glycocol with cyanamide, and separates, 

 when the aqueous solution of both bodies, containing 

 ammonia, is allowed to stand for several days. Color- 

 less crystals, difficultly soluble in cold water, more 

 easily in hot water, insoluble in alcohol ; yields salts 

 with acids and with bases. 



Glycocyamidine, C 3 H 5 iN" 3 0. The hydrochlorate is 

 formed by heating glycocyamine hydrochlorate to 

 160. The free base, separated from the salt by means 

 of lead hydroxide, forms easily soluble laminae, which 

 have an alkaline reaction. 



Creatine (Methylglycocyamine), C 4 H 9 N" 3 2 + H 2 0. 

 Occurs in the juice of flesh of all classes of animals ; in 

 the blood and brain in small and varying quantities ; 

 not in the urine. To prepare it, chopped meat is 

 pressed out with cold water, the liquid boiled in order 

 to coagulate the albumen, the filtrate mixed with 

 baryta water to remove phosphoric acid, and the fil- 

 tered liquid evaporated to one-twentieth its volume. 

 On cooling, the creatine gradually crystallizes out, and 

 is then purified by recrystallization. In the same 

 manner, it can be readily prepared from commercial 

 extract of meat. It is obtained artificially by the 



